


Undust

by Shadow_of_Quill



Series: Let's Break Papyrus [1]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: (at least. with Sans), Angst, Falling Down equals suicidal depression, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-29
Updated: 2016-05-29
Packaged: 2018-07-11 00:14:14
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 982
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7014448
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shadow_of_Quill/pseuds/Shadow_of_Quill
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Papyrus <i>knows</i> Flowey is his Best Friend Forever.</p><p>(Sans is aware of the RESETs. Papyrus <i>remembers</i> them. All of them.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Undust

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ZekeStrife](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZekeStrife/gifts).



> So, I've been leaving prompts on ZekeStrife's tumblr, and I couldn't stop myself from writing this one out. I may end up doing the others, too, so this is the first of a series that might never have more than one story.

Papyrus comes to Flowey, after his latest RESET. Smiles.

"I KNOW YOU DIDN'T DO IT FOR ME, BUT THANK YOU FOR RESETTING."

"Aw, shucks!" Flowey covers his face with his petals, pretends he's blushing. "You don't have to thank me, friend!"

Papyrus' smile - tilts. Changes. "SANS FELL DOWN."

"Oh."

And suddenly Papyrus' smile is brighter than ever. "BUT HE'S BACK NOW! SO EVERYTHING'S FINE!"

Flowey _has_ to dislocate his thumb for that. Papyrus doesn't even care.

***

Flowey decides to focus on Sally for this run. Subtle things. Little things. How far can he push without someone realising that there's someone pushing?

Five months in, he gets bored before there's an answer, and RESETs.

***

Maybe he can turn Sally into a friend. Not a _real_ friend, obviously - he isn't capable of that, and if he _was_ it wouldn't be with a static doll like her - but she doesn't know that.

He's doing quite well. Papyrus is proud of him (if he could feel he might enjoy it).

And then Papyrus is missing. And then Papyrus is carrying a jar half-full of dust, and looking so, so sad, and saying, "I KNOW IT'S INCREDIBLY SELFISH AND UNBECOMING OF A COOL MONSTER SUCH AS MYSELF, BUT - PLEASE - WOULD YOU -"

Flowey RESETs.

***

He watches, this time. He's curious. A little. (And if certain monsters go missing, well - they deserved it, didn't they? For being so impolite as to try and pick a flower without so much as asking whether it wanted to be picked.)

Sans is duller than usual. (Flowey hadn't realised he could _get_ duller. Surprising.) Papyrus is trying to cheer him up, with the desperation of someone who knows exactly what it looks like when their only family is one step away from Falling Down.

It doesn't work.

***

Sans is so tired. Tired of the endless loops. Tired of deja vu flashes telling him what the people around him are going to do, tired of knowing what it means when Mrs. Lago's youngest doesn't come home one night, tired of the mail that he doesn't remember till he sees it yet can recite off by heart.

He should be trying to keep going. For Papyrus' sake, if nothing else, but. But Papyrus told him what happens. Papyrus isn't sheltered. Papyrus isn't protected. Despite all of Sans' best efforts, Papyrus not only isn't safe from this horror, he knows it even better than Sans does.

Sans is too tired to open his eyes, even when Papyrus brings him out of the house for some 'fresh air'.

Sans is too tired to open his eyes, even when a stranger he never heard approaching suddenly starts talking to his brother as if they know him.

"Gee, he looks pretty bad."

"IT WON'T BE LONG NOW." Papyrus sounds sad, defeated, and this is just one more way Sans is failing him, isn't it? "I JUST - DON'T UNDERSTAND, FLOWEY. THE SECOND TIME I TOLD HIM, HE WAS FINE! AND IT'S NOT LIKE YOU DID ANYTHING TERRIBLE THE THIRD TIME TO SET HIM OFF, SO..."

"How many times _have_ you told him?" 'Flowey' asks, nothing in their voice but eager curiousity.

"THIS WAS THE FOURTH."

Sans feels like his soul must be Blue. He can almost feel himself being dragged into the ground. (What does Papyrus mean, Flowey didn't do anything terrible the third time to set him off?)

"Golly gee whiz." Flowey whistles. "That's a really bad track record, huh?"

Sans feels Papyrus slump. "I know." His voice is so quiet.

It barely sounds like Sans' brother at all.

"Guess you'll have to try not telling him next time!" Flowey says with a giggle.

Papyrus sighs. "I KNOW. HE ONLY FALLS DOWN WHEN I TELL HIM, SO..."

He Falls Down when Pap tells him he remembers? He _only_ Falls Down when Pap tells him he remembers?

Sans is tired, still, but it's giving way to a jittery panic. He knew he was letting his brother down, but - he's done this to Papyrus _more than once?_ No. No, that's not acceptable, he can't do that again - He has to open his eyes -

"HE SEEMS A LOT HAPPIER WHEN HE THINKS I DON'T REMEMBER. I'LL JUST HAVE TO KEEP IT THAT WAY!"

_no, Pap, no, i'm sorry, i'll wake up -_

"I can keep watch for you! Tell you if something makes him suspicious, that sort of thing," Flowey cheeps up.

_no, you bastard, you stay the hell away from my brother!_

"THANK YOU, BEST FRIEND!"

Sans strains. If he can say something - open his eyes - even if he just twitches a finger, Papyrus will see, Papyrus will realise that he hasn't Fallen Down and they can go on without having to lie to each other -

Flowey RESETs.

***

Sans feels like something bad happened last time. To Papyrus.

But he never finds any reminders of what it was, and as far as he can tell it never repeats, so he lets it go.

No sense bringing it up to his brother. He doesn't even know about the time loops, after all.

(And sometimes Sans feels like preserving his brother's innocence is the only thing he can do right.)

***

Flowey giggles as he unearths the last of Papyrus' knucklebones, ignoring the look of mingled pain and disappointment on Papyrus' face. "Wow, best friend, guess I really did a number on you this time!"

"I KNOW THAT YOU CAN'T UNDERSTAND WHY THIS IS WRONG WITHOUT A SOUL, FLOWEY, BUT I BELIEVE THAT YOU CAN WANT TO DO THE RIGHT THING! YOU CAN MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICE!"

Flowey just laughs harder. "And why do you believe that?"

Unbelievably, Papyrus smiles. "BECAUSE I'VE SEEN YOU DO IT. REMEMBER? I SEE PROOF THAT YOU CAN BE GOOD EVERY TIME SANS WALKS PAST."

Somehow, Flowey doesn't feel like giggling any more. He grins instead, baring all his too-many sharp teeth. "Anything for my best friend."

Papyrus believes him.


End file.
